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"Very Electric Kool-Aid , Abby."
"I was thinking more Blue Man Group," Abby replied.
Lauren hummed, watching Abby hover the two long tubular blue lights over the string and tilted her head. "Maybe Star Wars a bit? Very Obi-Wan."
"Oo! Nice one Renny!"
Lauren smiled proudly at Abby as she crouched beside Gibbs watching as the blue light revealed gleaming green markings over the string.
"Sergeant Fuentes's chute wasn't the only one tampered with."
"How many of them were?" Lauren asked.
"Nine out of sixteen," Kate answered. "Logbook signatures show different riggers packed the lot."
"How many did Corporal Dafelmair pack?"
"Four." Kate told Gibbs looking down at the notes before she passed it over to Lauren who wanted to have a look, "The rest were packed by Corporal Brinkman and Sergeant Fuentes."
Tony crossed his arms, his brows furrowed as he looked over Lauren's shoulder, "Corporal Ramsey didn't pack any?"
"Nope." Kate shook her head, "When his signature didn't show on a single chute I called Captain Faul. Hed put Corporal Ramsey on a two-week rigging suspension for sloppy work. And guess who wrote him up for sloppy work?"
Lauren let out an exhausted breath and shut the folder, "Our old pal, Senior Rigger, Sergeant Fuentes."
Kate pressed her lips together and nodded in confirmation to which Lauren groaned lightly. She hated the idea of these men working so closely together and for nothing turning on a friend of theirs. It would be like one of the NCIS team doing the same. Impossible.
"We got a motive!"
"We got more than that," Abby put the blue lights away, "Kate and I have a theory."
Tony held a hand to his heart and pouted at his colleague, "Why didn't you take to me this fast?"
"You're like a piercing, Tony." Abby sighed, "It takes a while for the throbbing to stop and the skin to grow back."
Lauren helped back a laugh and sent the man a tight smile, her eyes bright with mirth as she pat his shoulder kindly.
"That's more than I want to know," Tony smirked down at the blond who huffed at him rolling her eyes before moving to follow Abby through the lab.
"What's the theory?" Gibbs asked.
"Okay, every time you lace up your Docs or cinch your laundry bag you leave some skin cells behind. It's the same with a parachute rigging." She stopped in front of her computer and microscope and clicked a button lighting up the monitor. "I pulled skin sampled from the deployment bags of the chutes that were futzed with."
Lauren crossed her arms standing on her tiptoes to look over Abby's shoulder. "You get a DNA signature?"
"All nine knots had a number of different sets of skin samples, but there's only one set that's common to all nine."
"The saboteur," Gibbs spoke up.
Lauren 'ooo'ed under breath nudging her elbow into Tony's side to garner his attention. She wiggled her eyebrows up at him smiling as he chuckled.
"Our riggers of record pack the chutes," Kate spoke over the silliness, "then someone came in and repacked them, leaving some skin behind."
"Corporal Ramsey," Tony nodded.
Abby shrugged, gesturing to the monitor. "Depending on how much he knows about forensics. He is either very smart or dumb."
"There's got to be other chutes that Corporal Ramsey packed in the para loft inventory for comparison." Gibbs theorised, looking to Abby for confirmation.
With a wince, Abby shook her head, "Hmm. Negatory. I checked. They were all packed since he's been suspended."
"Well, there's an Armed Forces DNA registry." Kate told them, "All military personnel are on record, right?"
Lauren watched Gibbs' expression fall and frowned as he sighed.
"Yeah," He breathed out, walking around the desk.
"Then we've got our guy," Kate smiled.
"No," Gibbs sighed, "All we've got is a pile of dead skin. The only thing you can use the DNA registry for is to identify a body."
Lauren slipped off her hat and rubbed her forehead. This was getting ridiculous. This poor man fell a ridiculous height and died slowly and painfully due to a fellow soldier and they couldn't even confirm who.
"Well," Kate scoffed, "There has to be a way around that."
Gibbs smirked looking at his team before Kate, "See? Now you're thinking like an NCIS Agent."
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Lauren sat at her desk, leaning back in her chair and staring at her blank screen. She clicked her pen and sighed.
"That is the twenty-second time you have clicked that pen since they went into the interview." Tony drawled from his desk across from hers. He put his hand over his handset and raised a brow at her.
Lauren scoffed and put her pen down, "What's with the counting?"
"What's with the 'tude?"
Lauren rolled her eyes and picked at her nails. "It's just Gibbs," She sighed, "He's acting strange today."
"Oh?" Tony looked back down at his papers, afraid she would be able to read his expression.
"I mean, he knows there is no way after last time that Luitennet Roberts would allow us access to the database and yet-"
At the sound of Kate and Gibbs' voices, Lauren straightened up and clicked her keyboard turning her monitor back on though concentrated on trying to hear the tail-end of the conversation.
"Kate," Gibbs sighed, "I come from a long line of horse traders. First rule, you pick the best horse in the barn." He started to explain taking a glance over to Lauren who raised her brow at him wondering what on earth he was going on about. He sent her a quick wink before concentrating back on Kate. "then you work the deal until it bursts."
"That way, when you go for the second-best nag, you get her for a song." Tony finished for the man. Lauren huffed at the two and sat back in her chair again shaking her head.
"The search authorisation," Kate said in realisation.
"We didn't have a probable cause but the lieutenant, he is a man who aims to please. You never work the system-"
"When you can work the people," Lauren grinned at the woman.
Kate smiled back at Lauren before turning back to Gibbs, "Any of those horse traders you come from get hung," She squinted her eyes at the man.
"Yeah. A few."
Kate nodded, in complete understanding and went to sit at her desk sending Lauren a cheeky smile as the young woman shook her head chuckling.
"Did you find what Ramsey was written up for?" Gibbs asked.
"Ah yeah." Tony jumped out of his chair, grabbing his clipboard as he walked over to Gibbs. "Frayed lines, bent cones, cuts in the canopy." He read from his paper, "I tell you, I hope this guy isn't going to medical school at night."
Lauren snorted, moving to stand next to him, handing Gibbs a file as she leaned over to read Tony's notes.
"Oh yeah, scuttlebutt is-"
"Scuttlebutt?" Kate interrupted the man in confusion.
Lauren locked eyes with Gibbs and grinned, the two of them had actually spoken about this recently during a movie night that will never be mentioned again. Though that was Gibbs' rule, not hers. She loved a good Disney movie after a long week. He, however, did not.
"It's Marine for watercooler gossip," Lauren told her with a proud smile on her face, Gibbs shook his head at the woman but there was no denying the fondness in his expression as he looked up at her.
"The scuttlebutt is," Tony continued, "that Ramsey took a swing at Thumper for getting him suspended-" He was cut off again as Gibbs' mobile rang.
The man flicked it open and manoeuvred his farther away, "Identity withheld," He read out loud.
"Probably the reason you married her." Tony crossed his arms.
Lauren turned to Tony confused, "What?"
"I mean-"
"Don't listen to him, Ren." Gibbs sighed, stopping the man from putting his foot farther into his mouth.
Tony gulped at the glare sent his way and began to walk backwards towards his desk. "I'm going to shut up now,"
"Now?" Gibbs tilted his head, eyes squinted. "Meet me at the para loft at 1400. We'll execute our search authorisations to go through the rigger's lockers. Ren grab your jacket."
The blond nodded and pulled her jacket from the back of her chair and followed behind the man, grabbing her cap off her desk.
"That's two o'clock Secret Service time, Kate," Tony told her, a smirk on his face.
"We used Zulu time, Tony."
Lauren pressed her lips together and shared a glance with Gibbs. There was just something about Kate's responses that always managed to crack her up. She handed Gibbs a pen and ducked her head to hide her laugh.
"Zulu time." Tony scratched at his chin as he breathed in sharply, "Oh yeah, that would be..."
"1900."
"I knew that," He scoffed.
Lauren scoffed and reached over to high-five her new best friend. "Sure, Tony Baloney."
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Lauren shoved her hands into her blazer pockets and jogged down the path towards the house to catch up with Gibbs.
"All I'm saying is-"
"I know what you're saying."
"But I just don't think you do," Lauren shook her head, "Why would they make him that attractive-"
"He's just a lion, Ren." Gibbs sighed yet again.
Lauren paused looking up at the man, "You really don't see it?"
Gibbs stopped, his shoulders dropping as he looked down at the blonde next to him. He squinted his eyes pursing his lips, "The scar does help,"
Lauren clapped her hands together gasping, she pointed at him grinning. "I knew it!"
Rolling his eyes he nudged her shoulder and got them both moving again. He took a glance up at the tree house finding a little boy curled up, seemingly hiding away from the rest of the world.
He shared a look with Lauren who frowned, nodding towards the boy. They formed an agreement silently and moved onto the grass towards the ladder of the unfinished treehouse.
"Can we come up?" Gibbs asked the little boy however the little boy that Lauren could see was dressed in his Sunday best and stayed silent.
Biting her lip, Lauren took a step forward. "Do we need a password?"
After no response, Gibbs moved to take a step up one of the rungs. "Maybe I'll just come up a little." He climbed most of the ladder until just his head was able to be seen by the boy.
"You really should have a password," He told the boy having a look around.
"Why?" The boy said breaking his sullen silence, "It's never gonna be finished." He began to cry, sniffling as the tears rolled down his cherry red cheeks. "My dad's dead."
Lauren gripped the hem of Gibbs' trousers this time for comfort rather than to keep him on the ladder. She covered her mouth as she heard the boy cry, tears of her own forming for the poor child.
"Yeah," Gibbs murmured, "Yeah, I know."
"Who are you?" A woman's voice rang out through the garden.
Lauren whipped around, gentle support still on Gibbs and she used her other hand to quickly wipe away a couple rogue tears.
"Hi, uh-" Lauren cleared her throat, letting go of Gibbs as he climbed down, standing behind her. "I'm Lauren Walker," She placed a hand on her chest before gesturing to Gibbs, "and this is Jethro Gibbs NCIS." Lauren attempted a smile as she showed the woman her credentials.
"I don't have time to answer questions. We're on our way to the funeral."
"We're not here to ask questions," Gibbs told the woman moving to stand by Lauren's side.
"Then why are you here?"
"He says I need a password, Mom." The little boy said, his head popping out from above on the treehouse.
"What?" Mrs Fuentes furrowed her brows, glaring at the two agents accusingly.
"I told him a tree house should have a password," Gibbs explained.
Lauren nodded, shooting the man an endearing smile.
"Oh," The woman breathed out, her stance relaxing slightly. "Yeah. Larry was building that for him."
"Doing a good job." Lauren gently pats the ladder.
Mrs Fuentes took a step down to join the agents by the tree house, her face firm as she looked between them both. "Larry was a good man. A good husband and a good father."
"A good marine," Gibbs agreed with the woman.
"There are rumours that his death wasn't an accident."
Gibbs took a deep breath and pressed his lips together. "Whatever happened, Mrs Fuentes we will find who's responsible."
Mrs Fuentes stared at the agents a while longer, her gaze untrusting before a small sigh left her mouth and she called to her son. "Billy, we have to go." She reached up and began to brush the mess off the back of Billy's suit as he made his way down the ladder. "Oh look at you," A small smile crept its way onto her face, "Your hair's a mess. Where's your comb?"
Billy pulled a comb from his blazer pocket and began to tame his hair.
"Larry always told him to carry a comb." Mrs Fuentes told them chuckling fondly, brushing her fingers through the back of Billy's hair.
"Like JFK," Billy said, "Whoever he is."
Lauren grinned, nudging Gibbs gently amused. "He was a Navy guy, like your dad was a marine." She crouched down in front of the boy, pushing a curl behind her ear as she smiled kindly. "Navy guy and marines," She clicked her tongue and narrowed her eyes at the boy, "They always look their best." She glanced up at Gibbs shooting him a wink, chuckling along with Mrs Fuentes.
Rolling his eyes Gibbs moved to kneel next to the blonde, "Your dad would want you to look your best today for him."
Billy took a gasping breath and gripped his comb tight, "I don't want the marines at the funeral to see me cry."
"Never be ashamed of tears, bud," Gibbs told the sniffling boy, his voice gentle and understanding.
"Marines don't cry," Billy said, his voice wobbling.
"Yeah, they do." Gibbs breathed out, "At JFK's funeral, his son saluted the coffin. You know how to salute?"
Billy stood tall, his shoulders back and a brave face on as he brought his arm up, elbow bent and his hand around eyebrow height and flat.
Lauren chuckled and nodded, "Absolutely perfect."
Gibbs smiled at the boy, "You salute your dad today. Nobody'll notice the tears."
A car started, interrupting the moment. Mrs Fuetntes grasped her son's hand in her own and began to lead him towards the car before she stopped mid-step and turned back towards the agents.
"I believe you'll get whoever did this."
"You have my word."
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Lauren let out a long deep sigh as she shut the car door behind her. She closed her eyes and leaned back against the seat, her head bumping against the headrest. That poor family, she thought. Her heart broke for them.
Gibbs sat in the driver seat watching on as she frowned to herself. He scratched his chin, allowing for silence for just a moment before the corner of his lips quipped up.
"Always look their best, huh?"
He watched breathless as her pink lips fought a tempting smile before she finally gave up. She peeked one eye open to see his cheeky expression before quickly closing it after being caught.
She said nothing for a moment feeling her face get hot before she shrugged, "You heard me."
Gibbs chuckled, shaking his head and turning on the engine his body feeling lighter at the sight of her smile. He would do anything to keep that smile on her face and he knew it.
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Lauren whistled through her teeth clapping as Tony took the leap and hit the sand.
"How was that?" He asked the training Sergent.
"Very ladylike!" Kate called out from beside Lauren as they walked towards him.
"DiNozzo, what are you doing?" Gibbs asked.
Tony took off his helmet, his cheeky grin fading. "Um, I'm just doing a little research for Abby."
"For Abby?"
Tony glanced to Lauren who watched in amusement. Loving as her best friend got in trouble like a little boy.
"Well, maybe I'm serving two masters."
"You're serving one now," Gibbs raised a brow at the younger man gesturing him to follow and walked away.
Lauren waited for Gibbs to turn before leaping on her friend's back. "You did so well!"
Tony laughed, his hands gripping under her knees to hold her up. "Thanks, Ren." He tilted his head back as they walked to gently bump her chin, "It's your go next."
She bumped him back and smirked, "Hey give me your helmet. I'm ready anytime."
"How did you get into NCIS?" Kate asked incredulously.
"I smiled," Tony told her in all seriousness before turning to her presenting a wide grin.
Lauren laughed at Kate's exasperated expression holding onto Tony as he jogged away from the woman deliberately jostling Lauren about.
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"I had the riggers' lockers sealed immediately after the incident, Sir." The Sergeant told them as he led the way.
Lauren gripped her cap in her teeth as she hurried to put her gloves on. She felt a tug and turned to look at Gibbs who raised a brow at her. She let go of the cap and watched as he gently put it in his pocket.
They stopped by the riggers who stood at attention in front of their lockers. Gibbs took a key from the first and passed the key to Kate, then the second to Lauren and the third to Tony.
Lauren used the key to tear at the red tape before unlocking the door. She bent down shining her touch into every nook and cranny.
"Got something," Kate called out. She pulled out a bix from the first locker and set it down on the table pulling multiple bits and pieces out. She passed a metallic bottle to Gibbs who read out the label.
"Brass stripper solvent."
Lauren stood on her tip-toes to look over his shoulder.
"Read the contents," Tony told him.
Gibbs squinted at the back label, holding it far away before ultimately giving up and passing it back to Lauren who gently patted his back before bringing the container close enough so she could read the small letters.
"Contains petroleum distillate, ammonia and sulfuric acid." She raised her brows and glanced towards the riggers, "Harmful if swallowed or applied to shroud lines."
"Ramsey's locker," Kate said to Gibbs, setting down the rest of the box.
"That stuff's not mine," Ramsey pointed at the box, his brow sweating.
Gibbs sighed, "Sergeant Nutt, place the corporal in custody. Tony, read them."
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A/n
Hello folks.
A few people have asked for an update and here it is. I know I keep saying I'm busy that's why these updates are slow...I'm still busy surprisingly!!!
Doesn't mean I don't miss updating.
Thank you guys so much for the support and all the lovely comments!! It really makes me smile! I can't wait to hear all your opinions bout this chapter! I've already started on the next one so hopefully it doesn't take as long.
As always...
Have a lovely day, my friends!
- El